Nigeria, May 24 -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), suffering from serious arthritis, cerebral malaria and a splitting headache caused by three countries, turns 50 on 28 May.

It had a dream of regional integration, including the free and seamless flow of persons, services and capital; the elimination of customs duties; and joint development of transport, communication, energy and monetary policies. The citizens of its member states are supposed to be accepted as community citizens.

The major step on the free movement of persons that ECOWAS achieved in the last five decades, is that a person can travel and stay visa-free in a member state for three months.

The West African region was far more integrated in the pre...